Apparatus for the recovery of gasolene from casing-head gas in oil-wells



. w. R. McGlNNlS. APPARATUSFOR THEBECOVERY 0F GASOLENE FROM CASING HEAD GAS IN OIL WELLS APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, I917- 1,328,680, 1 Patented Jan. 20,1920.

To all whom it may concern:

STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER B. MOGINNIS, OF ST. LOUIS,

- ENGINEERING 8c SUPPLY COMPANY non or missonar.

iuxssounr, Assmnon. 'ro rxtsnnmnncxnn OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A. CORPORA- nrmma'rus r03. 'rnn'nncovnmr or GASOLENE rnou assure-1111111) GAS IN OIL-WELLS.

Be it known that I, WALTER R. MOGINNIS,

. a" citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Apparatus for the Recovery of Gasolene from Casing-Head 'Gas in Oil- \Vells, of which the following is a specification,'reference being had therein to the accOmpanying drawing.

My invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for the recovery of gasolene from casing-head gas in oilwells, and has for its object to eflect the conversion of said gas to gasolene by means of the series of operations hereinafter described, and by the use of an apparatus simple and inexpensive in character, as described below in detail.

-The drawing is a diagrammatic view of n paratus embodying my inventiomwith' which the method of my invention may be practised.

' The gas to be converted is conducted by the pipe 10 from the source of supply (the oil-well caslng) to a compressor 11, wherein by the line pipe 12 to the cooling-coil 13, wherein its temperature is lowered, coil 13 being subjected to contact with a cooling medium. Thence the gas is fed by the linepipe 14 to a scrubber or converter 15, the

interior of which is provided with a series of baflles 16 as shown.

A cooling liquid is fed to the cooler 17 through the supply-pipe 18, a refrigerating coil 19 being contained in said cooler 17.

The cooled liquid is then fed to the converter 15 through the line-pipe20, and the 1 liquid is then flowed in a thin film over the surfaces of the baffles 16.

The -contact of the gas with the cooling liquid in the'con'verter 15 results in the formation of gasolene, held in suspension in the mass of cooling liquid, which accumulates at the bottom of the converter 15. That mixture is drawn off by the drain-pipe 21 to the primary separator 22-, wherein the gasolene automatically rises to the surface of the liquid and flowsofi through the outlet-pipe 23; the heavier cooling" liquid is drawn from the bottom of the separator. 22 by the lineipe 24, and the liquid is forced into the coo er 17 by means of the pump 25 line-pipe 20.

Specification of Letters'ratent. Patented Jan. 20, 1920- Application filed Ma 14,1917. Serial No. 168,436.

operating on the line-pipe 24. The returned liquid is again cooled in the cooler 17 and returned to the converter 15,

the converter 15 which remains The gas in through the 1 free after contact with the cooling liquid is carried over to the secondary separator 26 by the escape-pipe 27. Any particles of gasolene or cooling liquid carried to the secondary separator 26 in this manner will fall to the bottom of said separator 26 and are carried over to the primary separator 22 by the drain-pipe 28. The free gas in the.separator 26 is drawn 011' by the outlet pipe 29 for whatever use may be desired.

This apparatus is adapted to in practising the method of the invention which is the subject-matter of m co-pending application for patent; erial No. 242,809, filed July '1, 1918. The degree of compression to be em loyed in theuse of this apparatus varies rom 40 to 75 pounds pressure to the square inch in excessof atmospheric pressure, and will be Varied in accordance with'the composition of the gas;

be employed a pressure of 60 pounds is effective under most conditions and with the average run been found to produce the Having thus described my mvention, what I claim as new and desireto have secured to me by the grant of Letters Patent, is.

The. apparatus for recovering gasolene from casing-head gas comprising a compressor; a cooling coil connected to said compressor; a converter fed from sald cooling coil; aliquid-cooler; a refrigerating coil mounted in said liquid-cooler; afconduit connecting the liquid-cooler with said, converter; a primary separator andja secondary separator connected to said converter.- d-t0 each other; means for drawing. ofi-ii'eegas and gasolene' from said separators; and

,means for returning the liquid from said separators to the liquid-coole'r.

In testimony whereof I- hereunto afiix my signature. I a

' R. MGGINNIS. 

